After waiting a little while, Chen Jin answered my call. It was a bit noisy on his end, like he was in a bar or on a bustling street. I spoke to him first, saying, "It's been a long time since we last contacted each other. What have you been up to lately?"
"I've arrived in Shanghai, and every day is filled with a mountain of things to do. I'm completely exhausted, both physically and mentally!"
He didn't even tell me that he had gone to Shanghai, which was such an important thing. I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, and that disappointment made me silent...
Chen Jin on the other end of the phone asked me again, "You've been quite busy lately, haven't you?... I heard that you and Brother Ping have made some progress!"
"Thanks to your group's Vice President Wu... he bought a sea-view villa from us... Ping Ge and I both made a little money."
"That's good... You really have a knack for making money through unconventional means. You should do what you're best at... I actually think that going to Thailand was the best decision you ever made. The year you spent in Jimo was just awful!"
"Yes, the detours I took in my career later were indeed caused by that year in Jimo... I'm so sorry about the Jiulongju incident; I left you with such a huge mess..."
"Stop right now... I'm not the kind of person who likes to settle scores later... Actually, my losses weren't that big, the real loss was yours... If you had chosen to strike while the iron was hot back then, you wouldn't have ended up getting hit by a car while delivering food... That hit crippled half of you... You really have to be careful with your choices in life, a little carelessness and one wrong step leads to another!"
"yes……!"
How is your leg recovering?
"The recovery is going well, and I can feel myself again... I've talked to the doctor, and he says I might not recover to my best condition, but I should be able to walk normally without any problems."
Chen Jin let out a long sigh, then smiled and said to me, "Good thing, good thing... it can be considered as curing a worry of yours."
I responded, and after a moment of silence, I changed the subject and said to Chen Jin, "Actually, I didn't call you just to chat... I just met with Vice President Wu. He invited me. He wants me to be a middleman between him and Ye Zhi... He said he has something that is very important to Ye Zhi and hopes that Ye Zhi can give him another chance... I have some doubts, so I called you first. Do you think this person is reliable?"
"He's reliable my ass... Michael, I advise you not to meddle in other people's business. I'm not afraid to say something harsh... These are gods fighting, what business is it of yours as a mortal?"
“I didn’t mean to interfere… I was afraid that Vice President Wu might actually have something Ye Zhi wanted… If I didn’t speak up, I was afraid it would jeopardize Ye Zhi’s plans.”
"Then you're overthinking things and overestimating yourself... Let me tell you, this Vice President Wu is like a grasshopper in autumn; he won't last long... Speaking of which, you're a smart person, but how could you handle this matter so poorly?... Are you alright?"
Why bother meeting him? ...If he had any leverage left, would he bother with someone like you who's practically unrelated to him? ...Ye Zhi is getting married soon, and now you're interfering in her company's affairs. Are you slapping Ye Zhi in the face, or are you slapping yourself in the face?
Chen Jin's barrage of accusations left me completely stunned... I opened my mouth several times, but couldn't utter a single word.
I felt like I had swallowed a pill dry, and my heart felt bitter and astringent!
Chen Jin then said to me, “Michael, I didn’t mean to criticize you… I only realized how deep the water was after I came to Binjiang Group… Everyone in the bureau is walking on thin ice. As an outsider, getting involved will only make things more chaotic and won’t help at all… You shouldn’t get involved in these matters anymore, just focus on yourself… Ye Zhi is getting married soon, you should also find a suitable person to settle down with.”
"Don't you know this is a scar in my heart?"
"Everyone has scars in their heart... If every scar could heal, what kind of adult would we be!"
"Can't we talk this out properly?... There are some things you promised me..."
Before I could finish speaking, Chen Jin interrupted me again, "You should know your own limitations first... Michael, I'll pretend you never made this call... You're not getting any younger, take advantage of the money you have and get your own important matters sorted out... Stop fucking ruining other people's lives and don't you feel ashamed!"
Caught completely off guard, Chen Jin hung up on me... and I stood like a stone by the sea, breathing alone, facing the darkness alone...
Until a sea breeze blew in, and the surroundings began to be filled with a sense of loss again... I can't accept myself like this, and I can't accept Chen Jin like this.
He promised me that once he had established himself in Binjiang Group, he would help me find out the truth behind it all. What does he mean by acting like this now?
...
It wasn't until I met An An and the others that I forced myself to let go of my bad mood... I took them to a seafood restaurant, then asked for a table with a sea view on the 'outlet' and a grill specifically for grilling seafood... This is our standard setup for entertaining friends since we arrived in Phuket.
After taking their seats, Coach Ma and Tie Nan took out their phones and used their cameras to record the sunset we were experiencing. Yes, the evenings in Phuket are so attractive that they can make you let go of your worries and forget some sorrows... because in addition to the beautiful scenery, there are also all kinds of craft beers. If one bottle is not enough to get rid of your bad mood, then drink a whole keg.
So, before anyone else, I took the beer glass the waiter brought and poured myself a full glass.
"Michael, can you drink alcohol now?"
An'an was the first to give me a questioning look. I forced a smile and replied, "I'm really happy you're here... so today, one..."
I must have a drink with you all.
"You should just drink Coke... Even I, a layman, know that drinking alcohol is the worst thing for your nerves."
I cast questioning glances at Coach Ma and Tie Nan, and to my surprise, the two people who usually loved to stir things up agreed with An An's suggestion... Tie Nan even shoved the bottle of Coke right in front of me and said, "Anyone who tries to persuade you to drink beer at this time isn't your true friend... If you drink Coke to your heart's content, we'll be just as happy."
...
With the sea breeze blowing in, I raised my glass and drank my first glass with everyone. The cola was very fizzy, but it couldn't compare to the pleasure of beer. So, the moment I put down my glass, I was lost in thought.
If someone else had said those things about me, I probably wouldn't have taken it to heart. But the one who criticized me was my former comrade-in-arms, my closest friend... Have I, Michael, really degenerated into someone else's burden?
No, Chen Jin's words must have a deeper meaning...
(End of Chapter) Want to chat with more like-minded people about "My Tenant Sister"? Follow "Youdu Literature" on WeChat to read, discuss life, and find kindred spirits!
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